The Return of Malefishmirtz
by waffleman1314
Summary: Perrible disappeared after the battle of the 10,000 monsters, due to a prophecy given by Isabella in which Malefishmirtz returns to take over the Tri-Kingdom Area once and for all. Is stopping him going to be as easy as the first time, or does his return foreshadow a less pleasant ending?
1. Prologue: A Prophecy

**So, to replace the last story I finished, I'm doing another Timeshift episode-based story; a sequel to Excaliferb! And guess what- new P.O.V. time. No more Perry P.O.V. or Phineas- I've got a new narrator for this one ;) -AJ ThaPlatypus**

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The world had been at peace since the downfall of the maniacal Malefishmirtz nearly ten years ago. He'd been bested in a war with ten thousand monsters, who had been aided by many brave warriors and their outstanding understanding of alchemy. Two outcomes came from this battle; the enemy fell, and a hero disappeared.

Most came back and celebrated Malefishmirtz's defeat at the Mid-Summer's Wode-Gathering. The celebration was so amazing and delightful that in the midst of hundreds of people and ten-thousand monsters, none saw when Malefishmirtz slipped loose from his stocks and made for a secluded place to rebuild his power and once again aspire to take over the Tri-Kingdom Area. Without his greatest enemy showing his face, Malefishmirtz knew that no one could stop him frequently. His progress would quicken.

Yet, the world around the Tri-Kingdom Area lived in peace. No one knew of his plan to rise up against the good people again. There was no need to locate his great nemesis. Still, the previous family of his nemesis pondered daily of his whereabouts and soon came to believe he had retreated into the Mysterious Forest to die alone.

Alas, our hero did not die. He had, as they had said, retreated into the Mysterious Forest in order to heal, as the battle had taken quite a toll on him. The alchemy his previous masters had performed on him had, of course, worn off, and he was once again in his natural state. At this time, just after the escape of Malefishmirtz and the hiding of his nemesis, I, the Water Sprite Isabella, relayed a prophecy shown to me by the Lady of the Puddle. It went as thus:

_"When all is said and done,_

_The first battle fought and won,_

_There shall be a sequel_

_Boasting evil with no equal._

_More power will he possess_

_And no man shall be able to rest_

_Until the fallen hero returns_

_To save a kingdom that burns." _

This prophecy lay dormant, though. None paid heed to it, as one year passed, then four, and then ten. Many believed that the prophecy was just a means for the supernatural beings to be poetic, and they laughed and scoffed at our very presence. All races who felt "superior" sought to destroy us all. We had to then hide ourselves from men, dwarves, and elves. Those who had once gone to battle right alongside ourselves and had sought aid from us were now intent upon killing us all. All of this over a short, poetic prophecy. The Lady of the Puddle, and her mother, the Lady of the Lake, flooded the land while we supernatural beings made our hasty escape. None of us have seen men, dwarves, or elves since that day. This was when Malefishmirtz took his chance. He came up out of nowhere and overtook the entire Tri-Kingdom Area with magic alone. With no magic to combat it, it was no wonder that the three connected kingdoms fell. The elves mourned our absence, but the men and dwarves would not have us return.

So I went on a journey myself; it was to find this hero and bring him back to the Tri-Kingdom Area. The journey proved harder than I had ever imagined. Finding the Mysterious Forest was more than difficult, you see. Once I did eventually find it, that was where the trouble began, though. Everyone knows the sole rule of the Mysterious Forest.

Never enter it.

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**So, quick little in-between information. The next chapter is gonna get the ball rolling...**


	2. The Mysterious Forest

**This chapter took a lot of word thought. I hope you all like it. -AJ **

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The cool, clear water bubbled over the smooth stone bed, winding its way towards the nearest pond or lake. A few droplets would splash up from time to time, each teardrop of water reaching as high as it could before clearing an invisible pinnacle that only the water could see. It never stopped; it never stood still. Instead, it continuously flowed on, caring nothing of its purpose in the grand scheme of things, for it was simply a brook; nothing more, nothing less, just a brook.

That was what stood between me and the Mysterious Forest. I hovered in the air a little bit, not wanting to pass through what was known as the deadliest place in the Tri-Kingdom Area. In fact, it was said to be so deadly that just looking at it meant death in your near future. Of course, I didn't believe that tidbit of information, but I was still wary of the dangers lurking within the dark, dense trees.

"Okay, Isabella," I breathed. "You can do this."

I stared into the forest, my eyes wide and my heart filled with worry. Not even an ounce of light could squeeze itself through the thick layer of leaves and branches that filled up the canopy above the forest. If I was lucky, I would find the brave hero in a glen, maybe, or even a sunny patch of clearing in the heart. Still, the thought of having to find the nexus of the forest gave me an involuntary shudder. Anyone I'd known to enter the forest had never come out. Their life had ended for the rest of us, even if they were still miraculously wandering around in that wood aimlessly, searching constantly for an exit or a rescuer. Another shudder was sent down my spine. Thinking of them as dead was much better.

"It's just a forest," I told myself. "Just go in, find the dragon, and get out."

That was easier said than done, though. I propelled myself forward with my tiny wings a little, trying to embrace my fear and fly head-on into the forest, but I stopped over the brook and continued to stare into it, my thoughts laced with fear. A chirping sound could be heard now, coming from somewhere in the brush beside the brook. The sound reminded me much of a frog, causing me to flit away from the brush for fear that I'd be eaten as a tasty snack. Being a water sprite certainly had its perks.

"Go in, find the dragon, and get out."

Taking a deep breath, I flew forward a few more inches. I was going to do this. I had to. I needed to. The whole Tri-Kingdom Area needed me to, even if they didn't know it yet. The nervousness started to eat at my core, filling my stomach with butterflies and my heart with pressure. I could feel my tiny heart racing in my chest, pounding against my ribcage like a stick to drums. My blood felt cold, yet curdled with anxiety as the fear set into my veins and spread out across my limbs.

"Go in, find the dragon, and get out."

I could hear the fear in my voice. It wavered like a leaf being blown about in the winds of a hurricane. To think that I was usually known for my headstrong confidence and was now acting like a scared puppy bowing before his master after he'd chewed through a couple good sets of clothing, it was appalling. I was letting fear win, and that was something I never let get to me.

"Go in…"

The wind picked up a little and began to howl mournfully, echoing like a cryptic whisper in the trees. My hair flowed around me, its own little hurricane happening around my head. Each blow of the wind sent icy chills down my bones, raised bumps on my skin, and reddened my cheeks. It bit and clawed at me with sharp, cold teeth and fingers, as if it were trying to peel off my skin.

"…find the dragon…"

Darkness started to set in, here at midday. The clouds gathered together in a tight embrace, blocking out every speck of sunlight over my head. As they came towards each other, they rippled and furled about, darkening into an ominous grey that threatened to send down its dreaded precipitation. Raindrops then began to fall, plummeting down from the exposed bellies of the billows and striking the face of the earth with blows that sent up puffs of loose topsoil. The waters in the brook suddenly became agitated, tossing and thrashing from the impact of the oncoming assault. Flashes lit up the sky every now and then, and were closely followed by the booming voice of storms. Crack! Like a whiplash, the bolts of tempests' wrath would streak across the world, looking for a place to expel its energy. Oh, to be anywhere but here! That would be welcoming.

"…and get out."

Ignoring the squall around me, I furrowed my brow and looked straight into the forest. There was no room for weakness- not in my heart. I steadied my breathing to a slow pulse; in, out; in, out. The pungent smell of fresh rain filled my nostrils, reminding me of serene rainfalls in the springtime. Freshly overturned and damp earth also joined this scent, calming me even more. I pulled my now soaking hair away from my face and let it hang limply against my back.

"You've got this, Isabella," I whispered. "You've always got it."

Satisfied with this reassurance, I flew forward and stopped in front of the first tree I came to. This was it- once I passed this tree, I would be fully in the Mysterious Forest, and there would be no backing out of this. There was still time for me to turn around and fly home. The temptation gnawed at my heart, eager to have me shy away from my mission. I shook the idea of leaving out of my head, unable to bear the fact that I was even remotely considering turning back.

"No," I said, closing my eyes. "No, you will not. You will keep going. You must!"

I pressed my back against the tree's smooth bark and looked out over the vast meadow I'd just left behind. The flowers were bending beneath the weight of the storm's winds. Each little head was tipped over, as if begging for mercy from the gusts that were menacing them so without a care. I lifted my head up to the thrashing heavens and wondered if I'd ever see the skies again.

"I will see them again," I told myself. "This will work."

Biting my lip, I edged around the tree's circumference, keeping my back to it always. Once I'd gone about one hundred and eighty degrees, plus a few seconds, I stopped and took a few deep breaths. I was in. I, Isabella, was in the Mysterious Forest. My heart once again began to pound in my chest. I thought for sure that it would burst out, it was pulsing so hard.

"You've made it this far," I sighed. "Keep going. Do what you came to do."

This was it. I had no other choice but to continue on. Pressing my hand up against the tree, I pushed myself away from its security and flew a few inches forward. Now surrounded by strange sights and unidentifiable vegetation, I tried to focus on my inner sense of wonder and amazement. It was transitory, as I heard something moving in the brush nearby.

"H-hello?" I called.

The rustling of leaves persisted to grow nearer. I frantically turned about, unsure where this noise was truly coming from. My eyes darted about, searching for the one thing I couldn't find. Then, I saw it. My heart seemed to stop. The only thing I could do now was scream.

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**I call this my 'magnum opus' chapter. **


	3. Flight

**I've been gone for a long time, but update time is here again! Official chapter two is here! -AJ**

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My scream practically saved my life. The large creature that was lunging for me cowered back, clearly hurt by my loud shrieking. It appeared to be a manticore, having the body of a lion, the head of a human, the teeth of a shark, and the tail of a scorpion. From my knowledge on the beasts, they could shoot poisonous spines from their tails to kill or paralyze victims, and then they would devour them- every last bit of them. So I flew.

I beat my wings as fast as I possibly could. There was no telling when the creature would be on my tail again, chasing me for a tasty snack. It should have been searching for larger prey, prey that could fill its stomach. Pushing that thought out of my head, I zipped in and out of the trees, wishing with all of my heart that I'd been smarter and stayed out of this cursed forest in the first place.

"Come back here!" the manticore called after me, its voice as sonorous as a trumpet. I didn't look back; instead, I quickened my pace and squinted to better my vision. The forest was darker than I'd perceived, and I was lucky to have not hit anything yet in my frenzied state. Oh, what the other water sprites would say if they could see me now.

"No thank you!" I shouted back. On second thought, that had probably been a stupid thing to do, responding to a hungry monster like so, but I felt better after saying it. Even if I was sure to die, at least I'd feel brave while I did. My only hope was that dying by being eaten was a quick and painless death.

The manticore roared at my protest and leapt along after me. It would come closer with each leap, going faster than I could go in a minute with one pounce. I beat my wings even faster, praying hard for some kind of way out of this. Once I felt his hot breath on my skirt, I knew I was too late to try and outfly him. I took a hard right and circled around a tree. Pressing my body against it, I held my breath and waited.

"Where did you go, you little sprite?" he hissed. I could hear the vegetation rustling under his legs. "It's been hard, these past few months, trying to get a meal. If only more of you little sprites could wander into my forest, then I'd be able to fill my stomach for once."

His words somewhat shocked me, but they also gave my frail heart hope. The lack of prey meant that something else was scaring it off or eating it before he could. This could very well mean that the dragon was, indeed, in the Mysterious Forest, but it could also be another creature, stronger and fiercer than who I was looking for.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," the manticore sang. For a moment, I wanted to, just out of pity. My will to survive was the only thing holding me out of his musical voice. As quietly as I could manage, I turned and flew straight for the center of the forest, hoping with everything I was that he hadn't seen me. I turned my head to look for him, and ended up flying through some leaves. "Aha! There you are!"

I let out another scream and dashed off in the direction I had already been going. My heart pounded in my chest, threatening to escape its cage and run free of the terror pumping through my veins. Now, I couldn't have cared if leaves or sticks were in my way. I flew threw them, tossing them out of the way and shoving them over to the side. If I couldn't find the dragon, all hope was lost; I had to keep going, regardless of what demon was chasing me.

"You can't fly forever!" the manticore jeered. "Sometime, you'll have to stop and rest!"

"I'll fly until you leave me alone!" I shrieked, zooming around a large tree. He ran into it and cursed under his breath. I allowed myself a short, quiet laugh at his ill fate, but soon was silenced when he resumed his pursuit. My ears rang as he let out a deafening roar. I couldn't take much more of this; I was tiring quickly and he was gaining on me once more.

All of the sudden, I noticed a sunny clearing to my left. I swerved towards it, gasping only once as the manticore lead over my head in a failed attempt to swallow me. He snorted and galloped after me into the sunlight. I stopped for a moment and looked around. The fact was, I was as lost as could be. Wherever the center of the forest was, it wasn't here.

"It's just you and I, little sprite," the manticore snickered. "What shall it be? More chase? Or do you surrender at long last?"

"P-please, I have an important mission!" I squealed, backing away from him. His scorpion's tail flickered back and forth anxiously. "I-I have to f-find someone in here, I'll leave, I-I promise I will!"

"But I don't want you to leave, little sprite," he told me hungrily. I could see in his eyes that he was dangerously famished. My entire body began to shake with fear. "No, no, you should stay right there."

Before I could respond, the manticore pulled back on his haunches and then flung his body forward, coming at me with a ravenous cry. I threw myself to the side, hoping that he would miss me. He did. As he landed, he turned again to repeat this action, but he was stopped by a furious spurt of flames. Neither of us could tell where it had come from, but the manticore had seen enough. He turned on his heels and ran back into the brush, cursing to himself about fire-breathing creatures.

I looked around for my savior, wishing to thank whomever had thought my life worthy to save. In my chest, I felt my heart leap for joy when I saw who it was- it was the very one I was looking for. The dragon sniffed as he watched the manticore bound off. He was a unique dragon; being small of stature and semi-aquatic as well. His snout was that of an orange duck's bill, his scales were a brilliant shade of teal, and his brown eyes glimmered with resolve.

"Perrible!" I cried. He quickly turned to look at me, surprised at hearing his name. "It's you! It's really you!"

He sniffed at this. I'd so easily forgotten that in the Battle of Ten Thousand Monsters, we hadn't actually been acquainted. I smoothed down my skirt and laughed a little bit. His eyes remained on me, unblinking and unmoving.

"Forgive me," I curtsied. "I am Isabella, the water sprite. I'm here because the Tri-Kingdom Area needs your help. Malefishmirtz has returned; he's taken over and the world as we once knew it is now long gone. Magical creatures have been banished, food stores are running low, and ghastly weather has been occurring as of late. You have to help, your'e the only one who can stop him!"

Perrible shook his head and lowered it to the ground. I frowned. This would be harder than I had first imagined. I knew that he'd been severely hurt in the battle, but no one had ever told me how. Perhaps his reluctance was of that. I then used the best tool in my arsenal- Phineas.

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**Will Isabella win Perrible over to her side?**


	4. Phineas

**Short update. -AJ**

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"If not for the whole Tri-Kingdom Area, then do it for Phineas," I said, straightening myself and flitting towards him a little. The dragon seemed to tense up at hearing his old master's name. "Yes, your human family grieves your absence. Phineas and Ferb-a-lot; they searched for a long time. They only gave up recently."

Perrible snorted.

"Don't give me any of that," I shook a finger at him. "You should feel worse than I do about Phineas. He's heartbroken and stuck in a horrifying world that's run by Malefishmirtz. He's run out of hope. His optimism is practically all drained out!"

I watched closely as Perrible seemed to consider this. Whatever he was pondering, he was thinking on it hard. His brow was furrowed deeply- so deep that I could barely tell his eyes were open. Below his eyes, his jaw was set stiffly. The posture he sat in was slanted ever so slightly. I saw his eyes dart up towards me.

"You will help Phineas?" I said, using my best pleading tone. The dragon didn't seem convinced. "Will it help you if I scry an image of him? If I can prove it to you?"

Rolling his eyes, he nodded a little as if to tell me, 'Yeah, little water sprite. Go ahead. Nothing you say or do is ever going to convince me that I should help you.' I bit my lip a little and started to twirl one finger in a strand of my hair.

"Could you show me to the nearest water source, please?" I asked nervously. The annoyed dragon nodded for me to follow him back into the forest. As terrified as I was coming in, my first instinct was to remain precisely where I was. Second thoughts reminded me that as long as I was with him I was safe, and as long as I was alone in the forest I was not. I quickly flew along after him, forcing the thought of being a snack out of my head.

Perrible ambled along as if there was no sense of urgency at all. Here I was, desperate to save the world I knew and feeling as if I was running out of time, hoping just for a small amount of time to spare just to breathe. Yet through my inner storm, he seemed completely calm. He lived in the middle of a dark and dangerous wood and he wascalm. I couldn't wrap my tiny mind around it.

We walked and flew along silently for a good fifteen minutes before we came to water. It was a quaint babbling brook. Clear water splashed and sloshed over smooth, dark pebbles. I felt energy start to surge through my body, just as it always did when I came near water. The dragon sat down and looked at the water. I pictured him telling me, 'Okay, we're here. Make the water show me a picture that won't convince me so you can leave just as quickly as you arrived.'

I stretched one hand out over the waters in the brook and started to create a pool out of them. Once I decided that the water was high enough and wide enough to support a scried image, I held it there and concentrated all of my thoughts on Phineas. The water rippled in its place, agitated against its will with magic.

On its surface, the waving image of a dark room came into focus. Not much presided in that room- two makeshift beds were pushed up against the far wall, a couple pairs of shoes sat neatly between them, and a candle flickered at the head of the leftmost bed. That bed was occupied by Phineas, who was about nineteen years old now. He looked to be sick- which I knew to be true- his skin was pale and clammy, and his breathing was shallow and raspy. We watched as his sister, Candavere, knelt down beside him and offered him a small mug of water.

"Here you go," she said quietly. He weakly reached up and rapped his fingers around the mug, seeming eager to drink the water. Shakily, he brought the cup to his lips and poured a little water into his mouth. Candavere frowned and brushed his sticky, sweaty red hair off of his forehead. "I hope this leaves you soon."

"You're better off than me," he croaked, setting the mug down next to his bedding and leaning his head back. She pressed a wet rag up to his forehead. I assumed she'd been holding that before and forced myself not to question it.

"Don't think that way, Phineas," Candavere chided gently. "Things will get better- you know they will."

"And yet here we are…without Perrible keeping Malefishmirtz at bay, he's free to terrorize us in whatever ways he can," Phineas sniffed. I turned to look at the dragon, whose visage had changed to a sympathetic frown.

"Now that you've seen…will you return with me?" I asked. "Will you help save us?"

The dragon nodded. An ally at last.

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**I have no good questions and I'm crunched for time.**


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